Shivchei & Sichot Haran

Rabeinu explains in depth why it’s so difficult for someone to be an upright Jew while also being wealthy. We discuss some lessons in Likutei Moharan which further explain this concept and see how Rebbe Nachman Horodenker (Rabeinu’s grandfather) explains this idea according to the saying of the sages in the Gemara Shabbat 63a.

2: Rabeinu tells us how he starts his day: throwing all his reliance on G-d! Rabeinu teaches us that by putting all of our movements in G-d’s hands, we do not need to worry AT ALL if we are doing what He wants or not! 3: Rabeinu begins explains how G-d’s greatness is impossible to describe and how we know absolutely nothing whatsoever. Rabeinu teaches us what the highest point of knowledge is, and...

We delve into Rabeinu’s sichot haran with the introduction to the sefer and the first lesson of the book, describing G-d’s greatness and how it’s impossible to describe this in any words!

We speak about the culmination of all knowledge: to know nothing! We also hop into Chaye Moharan for more understanding on this topic. We also delve into a beautiful parable Rabeinu gives about which type of servant is most dear to G-d!

33: we speak about Rabeinu’s awesome attitude towards serving G-d. Every time he reached a new perception or level in holiness, he’d always long and yearn to attain the next level. Rabeinu would always try to be sincere and honest, even asking G-d to help him merit to be a Jew. Rabeinu would also never accept the idea that he could be the same person as he was the day before.

We speak about Rabeinu’s awesome attitude towards serving G-d. Every time he reached a new perception or level in holiness, he’d always long and yearn to attain the next level.

Rabeinu agreed to set up a match between his daughter and the son of Rabbi Moshe of Vitebsk, son of the great tzadik Rebbe Menachem Mendel. A great feast is made to celebrate, and Rabeinu gives all the great sages present the source of a certain Rashi they could not find. Rabeinu when returning home finds out that Rabbi Moshe’s son passes away so a new engagement is made…

Rabeinu has an awesome encounter with a great tzadik and sage. Rabeinu reveals to this tzadik that he has no permission from Heaven to tell him any secrets of Torah/any reason why he came to Israel.

Shivchei Haran 29: Rabeinu gives us a beautiful parable explaining why the man who insulted him in Istanbul passed away immediately when returned home. Shivchei Haran 30: Rabeinu describes the superiority of the Torah of Israel over that of the Diaspora.

Rabeinu travels through Iasi and a plague breaks out, giving Rabeinu trouble when he wants to cross the border. With G-d’s help Rabeinu and his attendant overcome all the obstacles on their trip back home! We discuss some other lofty ideas related to Rabeinu Hakadosh’s level…

Rabeinu is held in great esteem by the sages of Rhodes! They book Rabeinu and his attendant passageway on a boat to Istanbul, where they arrive after escaping a deadly plague. They overcome all the obstacles that happen during their 10 day stay in Istanbul, with the help of G-d! They are taken prisoners on an island, buying their freedom. They finally arrive in Galatz to celebrate the holiday of S...

Rabeinu and his attendant spend the holiday of Pesach on the boat, waiting for their salvation. The attendant goes into the city on the 2nd day of the holiday to pray in the shul and eat by the sage. He returns with the sage’s attendant holding food for Rabeinu. Rabeinu and his attendant are freed from captivity on the first day of Chol Hamoed, thanks to the sage and other prominent people of the...

Rabeinu’s attendant gets all ready for the holiday as Rabeinu waits on the ship for his salvation. As the attendant and the sage are on the way to go free Rabeinu from captivity, they encounter some Turkish people fighting, resulting in multiple deaths. Fearing for their life, they return back home, only to wait a few hours and miss their chance for the day due to the fact that the holiday was sta...

With G-d’s help, Rabeinu’s attendant is allowed by the captain to enter the city of Rhodes to go and get food for him and Rabeinu. He tells his entire story to the chief Rabbi of Rhodes, while also remembering that he heard about Rav Tzvi Horker’s brother in law who happens to be a great tzadik in Rhodes as well. Rabeinu’s attendant goes to this other tzadik, and this tzadik consoles him with the...

Rabeinu attained such a perception that even if he were sold to an Arab in a faraway land to work as a shepherd, with no ability to perform any mitzvot, he would still be able to keep the entire Torah, just like the Avot! The ship arrives in Rhodes, where there is a large and striving Jewish community. The only issue is that the Captain would never let them leave…

A new danger arrives at sea as there’s a vortex in the water capable of drowning the ship traveling in the trajectory of that vortex. They escape this vortex out alive and also find the leak where the water was entering the ship, therefore fixing the remedy. Rabeinu’s prayers were successful. Rabeinu and his attendant buy a bushel of carobs from the sailors in preparation for Pesach!

Rabeinu feels deep down that they are in grave danger. The sailors throw off all the cargo in the ship and the boat is full of water, leaving the attendant speechless. Rabeinu for the first time ever used his ancestral merit, praying to G-d to save them, in the merit of the holy Baal Shem Tov (his grandfather), Adel (his grandmother), and Rebbe Nachman Horodenker (his grandfather).

Rabeinu and his attendant are given a cup of black coffee every morning and night out of pity from the ship’s cook. The ship arrives in Adalia, a place where they murder Jews for fun, so Rabeinu and his attendant lock themselves in their room. The ship continues sailing in the wind’s/storm’s direction and there is a massive leak on the ship, leaving all the people on the boat in danger.

Rabeinu and his attendant are given a private room on the large cruiser… but they are also given a loaded gun, and at that point they realized something wasn’t right. As they try to sleep, a man speaking Russian opens their door and asks then why they are on a Turkish warship. They ask the man to help him, but as some time passes, they cannot find the man anymore and are left alone on this ship lo...

Rabeinu flees to the sea hoping to make it out alive, not knowing his attendant lies unconscious in the place in which he is staying. The attendent, when waking up, finds the city in chaos. With G-D’s mercy, he finds another Jew willing to help him carry his chest of money and belongings. He reunited with Rabeinu… They end up taking passage on the wrong ship, a Turkish war ship!

Rabeinu and his attendant have no provisions for this upcoming journey. An order is made from the Pasha to the citizens of Acre that anyone who’s left within the city limits after 2 hours will be slaughtered. Terror and fear increases…

Rabeinu leaves Tzfat for Acre on Thursday evening, arriving in Acre just 3 hours before Shabbat. The boat they had booked passage on was totally full, and Rabeinu and his attendant are therefore forced to stay in Acre for Shabbat, as over 15,000 Turkish soldiers were stationed there with all their weapons ready for war. On Shabbat (because of the danger to one’s life one is able to break the Sabba...

Rabeinu visits other caves of great Tzadikim: Rabbi Kruspedai, the Yanuka… He makes peace between the Rabbi of Shepetovka and Rabbi Avraham Kalisker. An epidemic breaks out in Tiberias and Rabeinu and his attendant are forced to flee the city. Rabeinu finds himself in a life threatening situation but he is saved with the help of G-d, arriving in Tzfat safely. News spreads of the French Army approa...

Rabeinu, in his tremendous wisdom, subdues this informer and completely controls him the way he wants to. Rabeinu’s attendant is able to safely transport the money from Europe into Tiberias for distribution to the holy community of Chassidim in Israel. Rabeinu visits the caves of great Tzadikim: his grandfather Rebbe Nachman Horodenker, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Hillel, Shamai…

Rabeinu gets sick in Tiberias, all with Divine Providence, as he becomes the key figure in helping the Jews return back to Tiberias after they fled due to the harsh decrees from overseer of the city.